I do like to tweak people a bit. I am getting some very personal
attacks--some even suggesting that since I am doing things so badly I
should rethink what I am doing.
Perhaps I overstate the situation. I have a number of teachers who
require research papers, but I've also seen the Pew Research which tells
me that students are using the Internet as their primary source of
information.
We also have a wealth of computers in our library, 55 student stations,
and our databases are broad and comprehensive. The teachers that do
require research, also do require that the students use these databases,
but not necessarily print.
If I need encyclopedic materials, my first source is not our print
encyclopedies, but rather our online resources.
I don't want to get into a print v non-print argument with librarians. I
simply don't care what the medium is, I'm looking for the most relevant
information from a quality source.
Also, some librarians misinterpreted what I said about student reading
habits. They simply do not read non-fiction (except, perhaps,
biographies--but only contemporary biographies). We do have many fiction
readers and support our users, even to the point of taking orders for
specific titles which we purchase on regular trips to Barnes & Nobles.
Our fiction collection is entirely paperback and it is the largest
collection in the district.
I do see a trend away from physical use of the library, however, there
may be much more intensive use of our virtual library, which is
accessible from every computer in the school, as well as use from home.
I also think it is time that all libraries have a virtual presence on
the Internet. To that end I created a generic template for use by
elementary libraries in our district. If you have access to School
Library Journal, you can read what I did in the January, 2005, issue.
I value school libraries very much. I just see that they are rapidly
changing in focus.
I am thoroughly enjoying this debate and am finding that those schools
with limited computer access are favoring print resources, whereas
school libraries, such as mine, with multiple external computer labs and
default access to our virtual library throughout the school are favoring
my point of view.
Adam
Adam Janowski
Library Media Specialist
Naples High School
1100 Golden Eagle Circle
Naples, FL 34102
E-mail: NHSWebmaster@collier.k12.fl.us
Phone: 239-377-2210
Fax: 239-430-6673
Library web site: http://collier.k12.fl.us/nhs/lmc/
School web site: http://collier.k12.fl.us/nhs/
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